Child Privacy Rules

Recently I lost a promising account to a curious blog platform called Ning. While doing background research however I came across a federal law called COPPA ...the Childhood Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998. The FTC -- Federal Trade Commission -- administers the law and a couple years ago levied a one million dollar fine against social media site Xanga for accepting kids under 13 without their parent's consent. The FTC also has a set of rules that apply to PolicyBridge efforts to provide a Safe Harbor for kids in its three target neighborhoods. These rules have been interpreted in a variety of ways by local agencies. One allows kids to sign in on Blogger.com another doesn't even allow access to this popular site.
Central to the solution is an overall strategy to engage parents in understanding and approving their children's participation in the Education Pays neighborhood Blogs.
--Cec, your friendly neighborhood Blog Publisher.

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Sustainabilty Conf.3GP

PolicyBridge assisted in the planning
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Sustainability Conference Day Two

Heavy turnout again at the convention center downtown. Hundreds of skits as participants display

their dreams for a sustainable community. Yesterday there were four teenagers who won awards for their essays detailing how they would improve their neighborhood and their city. I can't help but wonder if there shouldn't be more kids here ... maybe from the neighborhoods of Slavic Village, Mt. Pleasant, and the Central Neighborhoods.

Live Blog--Randy

Wow. Looking at the program. There on the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 Design Team Members List. Halfway down in alphabetical order ... This name ...
Randy McShepherd , RPM International.
Now he's standing ... Introduced as a member of the steering committee.

Cec the Blogger.
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Live Blog--Obama's Green Guy

Van Jones, Sustainability Director, says internet and green economy wii power the economic Recovery. Cecil Hickman Blog Publisher. My question. Will struggling neighborhoods lag behind ... Like wind turbines in a vacuum.
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Sustainable Cleveland 2019 ++Live Blog.

Packed house at Cleveland Convention Center downtown. Called by the Mayor. Frank Jackson. PolicyBridge on planning committee. Hope action flows from this meeting. Cecil, Blog Publisher.
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Blog Buddy--PolicyBridge Chairman: Randell McShepard (Part 2)

I would be remiss if I did not also mention that education pays in many ways that go well above and beyond a paycheck or financial status. An educated citizenry elects and holds accountable high caliber elected officials. An educated citizenry challenges school districts to be culturally competent and outcome driven. An educated citizenry also develops new solutions to old problems and does not wait for the proverbial “calvary” to come and save them….they save themselves. Therefore, I contend that the stakes are too high for our city, our region and our nation to miss the boat on the importance of educating our future generations. A failure to do so will not only erode the economic tax base of our community, but it will also unravel the social fabric that has kept our communities resilient and progressive for decades.

Simply put, education is the gift that keeps on giving. Let’s help our kids to receive and utilize the most important gift they could ever hope for.